Shakespeare has influenced everything from Kendrick Lamar to Netflix, from Marvel to Beyoncé. The question is: do your students know that? Rapspeare Live is Bigfoot’s Shakespeare workshop experience for KS3 that uses hip hop, live performance and smart critical thinking to explore Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a way that is genuinely engaging, relevant and rigorous. Perfect for Shakespeare Week, Arts Week, Enrichment Days and English and Drama enrichment.
Two Bigfoot educators arrive in school with a creative disagreement. One is a classically trained Shakespeare enthusiast who believes the plays should be taught the way they always have been. The other loves Shakespeare just as deeply but argues that the way it is taught is the very thing putting students off. What follows is fifty minutes of live performance, debate, music and theatrical exploration that takes students inside four of Shakespeare’s most studied plays while simultaneously making the case for why he matters more than ever.
Students encounter the Witches of Macbeth over a hip hop beat, trace the DNA of Hamlet through The Lion King and modern blockbusters, examine the iambic pentameter as the original rhythm and bars, and explore how Shakespeare’s three genres underpin virtually every story told on stage and screen today. The session is calibrated for KS3, with a level of critical analysis and contextual depth that challenges students and gives their English and Drama teachers something genuinely useful to build on.
“High energy, engaging and incredibly well pitched. Every student was fully absorbed. The combination of humour, music and clever storytelling made the experience both educational and genuinely entertaining.” — Ella Jenkins, English Lead, Broadmead School
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Understand the context, themes, genres and language of Shakespeare’s major plays at a level appropriate for KS3 study
- Analyse how Shakespeare’s themes and structures underpin contemporary literature, film, music and popular culture
- Explore the iambic pentameter and understand the relationship between Shakespeare’s verse and spoken word traditions
- Develop oracy, critical thinking and spoken language skills through active participation in live performance and debate
- Build confidence and enthusiasm for Shakespeare as a foundation for GCSE English Literature and Drama study
NATIONAL CURRICULUM LINKS
- English Literature (KS3): Understanding Shakespeare’s plays, language, themes and dramatic techniques; building foundations for GCSE set text study
- English (Spoken Language/Oracy): Developing confidence in spoken performance, critical discussion and argument; exploring language and its evolution
- Drama (KS3): Responding to live performance; understanding genre, staging and character; exploring verse, rhythm and contemporary performance forms
- Media and Cultural Studies: Tracing Shakespeare’s influence across film, television, music and popular culture; understanding intertextuality
- Personal Development: Building cultural literacy, academic confidence and a sense of ownership over a shared literary heritage
FORMAT
Target Audience: KS3 (Years 7 to 9)
Performance: 60 minutes (whole year group or key stage group)
Capacity: Up to 180 students per session
Ideal For: Shakespeare Week, Arts Week, Enrichment Days, English and Drama enrichment
Resource Pack: A comprehensive teacher resource pack is included with every booking, with post activities to extend the learning and support classroom study of Shakespeare
HOW TO ENQUIRE & BOOK
For us to quote your school and offer availability, please fill out the form below and tell us the year groups and how many classes you would like us to work with, along with any specific dates. We promise to respond to you within 24 hours. Important: if you haven’t heard from us, you may need to check your folder of doom (spam folder) where our emails may occasionally end up!
